Nanoforum - Nanotech Regulatory Document Archive

2.3. Joint Research Centre and the candidate countries
The European Commission's Joint Research Centre consists of seven scientific
research institutes, which engage in policy oriented research for the benefit of the
European Commission and other EU institutions including the Council and the
Parliament. The institutes are:
- Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, Geel, Belgium;
http://irmm.jrc.cec.eu.int/
- Institute for Transuranium Elements, Karlsruhe, Germany; http://itu.jrc.cec
.eu.int/
- Institute for Energy, Petten, Netherlands; http://ie.jrc.cec.eu.int/
- Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen, Ispra, Italy; http://ipsc
.jrc.cec.eu.int/
- Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, Italy; http://ies.jrc.cec.eu.int/
- Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, Ispra, Italy; http://ihcp.jrc.cec
.eu.int/
- Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, Seville, Spain; http://www.jrc
.es/welcome.html
The JRC works on an enlargement action. This includes not only doing research aimed
at solving the research and innovation needs of the candidate countries. The JRC also
opened up its research programmes to participants and collaborators from candidate
countries, and organises workshops and training for these countries. It also installed a
network of national contact points NCPs. Between 1999 and 2002, 18 of the 100 JRC
projects included extra funding for collaboration with the candidate countries. The JRC
also participates in 40 FP5 projects together with about 60 partners from the candidate
countries. http://www.jrc.cec.eu.int/enlargement/
In 2003, the JRC published a new call for expressions of interest for visiting scientists
and detached national experts from candidate countries interested in a temporary stay
at one of the JRC's institutes. This call also covered participation in workshops and
training. http://www.jrc.cec.eu.int/enlargement/action2003/
The JRC's work programme 2003-2006 has not been published yet, but the key
research areas do not explicitly include nanotechnology. However, several institutes are
engaged in projects and activities related to nanostructured materials and
nanotechnology. These can be for energy applications (catalytic converters, hydrogen
technologies, solar cells, etc.), but also nano-biotechnology for medical applications or
other applications, and measurements and testing for safety and consumer protection.
www.jrc.cec.eu.int
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